Rotary engine.



J. F. MILTON.

ROTARY ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED LIAR. 16, 1909.

Panama Mar. 15,

A Catton/Ms J. F. MILToN. y 3.0mm ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED HAB. 16, 1909. @5 l 936@ i Patented Mall. 15, 1910;

3'SHBETS-SHEET 3. 2

g/ @1x-manici JOHN rsNILToN, or PALESTINE,

TEXAS, ASSIGiNOR 0F ONE-THIRD TO F. C. BAILEY N11 ONE-THIRD T0 C. J. GRAINGER, OF PALESTINE, TEXAS.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specication of Letters-Patent. Patented D131-, 15 1910,

Application led March 16, 1909. Serial No. 483,782.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. Micron, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Palestine, in the county of Anderson and State of Texas, have invented a newand useful Rotary Engine; and I do hereby declare the'following to be a full, clear, andv exact description of the invention, such as enableothers skilled inthe art to which it 'appertains to make and use the same.

The invention about to be set forth and claimed belongs to the art of motor engines, and particularly lpertains to that ysubclass known generally as rotary engines, in which reversing the action of the steam or other which is rotatable with the enginesdriving.

motive power thereon.

The primary and essential object of the invention is the provision of a device of this nature, whereby all steam leakage is obviated, as well as relieving the engine of all back "ressure of the steam.

A urther object of the invention is to construct the pistons of the engine in such a manner. as to allow them to have la continuously close and packed contact entirely about the inner circumference of the engines casing, throughout the entire movement of the istons.

T e invention has for a further object the provision of means whereby an automatic cut-oi'cis provided, thereby increasing the steam expansion within the engines casing or cylinder. This automatic cut-off mechanism is designed to be automatically governed and gradually increased or decreased, through the motion of the engines driving shaft. The applicant, in'this present invention, desires to term the means for regulating the cut-ofi` as an inte' ieshing cone governor,

kone of the cones of which also performs the.

function of a cam, as the engmes driving shaft is rotated, said cone that performs the function of a cam being moved longitudinally of the engines driving shaft through the centrifugal force of the balls, thereby governing the speed of vthe engine. The links Whlch carry the balls of the governor are connected between the cone performing the funci'on of a cam and the fly wheel,

:j :Anothe'r object of the invention resides in the provision of a rotatable piston carrying the pistons of the engine are reversible, ,by

head', constructed of a central body portion and two head portions, which are bolted or -otherwise secured to the said body, portion, and between which and in radial slots of the body portion the pistons are movably mounted,`their movements being governed by cam grooves of the engines casing or cylinder.

Another object in view is to provide the pistons with spring actuated packing blocks .which continually contact with the inner circumference of the engines cylinder.

The invention comprises further objects and combinations of elements which will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and the novel features thereof will be pointed out by theappended claims.

The features and elements and the arrangement thereof, for accomplishing the objects of this device or apparatus, may be changed and varied, that 1s to say, in an actual reduction topractice, with an understanding that the changes and variations accruing 'from said reduction to practice are limited to the scope of the appended claims.

To obtain a full and correct understanding of the details of construction, combina tions of features, elements and advantages, reference is to be had to the hereinafter set forth description and the accompanying drawings in connection therewith, wherein- Figure lis a perspective view of the new and novel rotary engine, 'as above referred to, embodying the essential features of the invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of`the engine upon line 2-2 of Fig. 3, clearly disclosing the interior structure thereof and the inta-kes and the exhaust ports of the engine. Fig. 3' is a longitudinal sectional View upon line 3 3 of, Fig. 2, further disclosing the interior structure of the'roiatable piston carrying head. Fig. Il is a sectional view through the engines casing .orcylinder upon line L,t-4: of Fig. 8, clearly illustrating one of the cam grooves in which the rollers or friction members operate, so as to radially nieve the pistons.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View of a por" v,clearly illustrating the manner inwhich the `.2. These head said packing blocks or strips are spring actuated. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view of a portion of the engines casing or cylinder,-

clearly showing the Alocations of the steam intakes, the steam being reversed from one to the other, that is to say, when itis desired to reverse the moving elements ofthe engine. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the intermeshing or the interengaging cone governor mechanism, showing the manner in which the same operates the steam reversing valve., Fig. 9 is a sectional View through a portion of the arm 43 and the valve 11, yshowing the novel means for holding the valve in the requisite position. Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view through i; portion of the en ines e linder and the packing 34' g y s showing the spring for holding the same inwardly land in contact with the pistoncarrying hea d.

In regard to the accompanying drawings, .wherein similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in ythe several illus- 'trations, 1 designates the enginescasing or cylinder, which is cylindrical in contour, and is provided with the head pieces or members ieces or members 2H are bolted to the casing or cylinder by suitable bolts or other means 3, there being packing 4 disposed between the head pieces and the endines casing or cylinder. The easing or cy inder is provided with a suitable base portion 5 which may be integral or otherwise .securedqto the cylinder. This base portion lmaybe secured bybolts or other means G to the floor of the lroom in which the engine is positioned for transmitting power to other machinery.-

The head pieces or members 2 are provided with cam grooves 7, the purpose et' which will hereinafter appear, as the invention is further described. There are four steam pipes 8, two of which are connected to steam inlets 9 upon one side of the easing, while. the other two are connected to similar steam inlets 10 of the other side of the casin The steam isv reversed from one to the ot er of these pi es, by means of a suitable valve 1l, the va ve rod of which is auto- '5o matically controlled by the intermeshing or interenga in cone governor 12, the operawill be hereinafter fully explained. The valve rod is recessed upon opposite sides, as shown at 13, which recesses are desi ed to register with one or another of the pipes 8, that is to say, when it is desired to operate the enginecin one direction or the other. This valve rod is partially rotated ormoved by the vdevice liso as to reverse the action 'of the engine. This partial *rotation or movement of the rod is entirely independent of the movement' imparted to A the rod by the governor mechanism. .When

the valve 11 is independently rotated, that is to Say, partially, and regardless of the movement'imparted to it by the governor mechanism, the same 1s held 1n its desired position by means of the pin 11, which is between a collar 12b threaded ,u onthe pin,

and the nut 12", as shown-clear y in Fi 9. This nut 12cv is threaded into 'a` ho low threadedboss 12d, yof theV arm-43. The hollow portion of the boss extends entirelyA through it and communicates with the unobstructed bore of the said a'rin 43, so as to allow the pin to'extend therethrough and into one or another of the recesses 1l". The

bore of this boss is provided with nn annular shoulder 12", against which the collar 12 contacts. To reverse the position of the valve 11 opposite to that position shown in Fig. 2, the armor member v14 is raised. in the direction of the arrow 14, shown in Fig. 1, thereby allowing the pin 11 to engage the other recess 11. In this manner, the steam is reversed, in order to reverse the action of the engine.

15 denotes the engines driving shaft, upon one end of which a driving pulleylt is mounted, While upon the other end the usual ily wheel 17 is mounted. Rotatublc with the enginesdriving shaft is the rotatable piston carrying head 18. This piston carryinghead consists of a central. body ortion 1S), and the two head portions or pieces 20. These head portions or pieces 20 are bolted or otherwise secured to the central body portion by means of the bolts or other means 21, thereby causing the head pieces or portions and the body portion to rotule as one body. The piston carrying head is keyed by a suitable feather orother means 2:2 to the engines driving shaft, so as to ca use the two to rotate as one. The central body' portion is radially slotted, and in these slots 23 the iston's 241 are movabl mounted. Traversing the pistons are siafts 25, upon either end of which rollers or friction members 26 are mounted, which are designed to travel in the cam .grooves of the engines cylinder or casing.

The head pieces or portions 20 are rovided with radially disposed slots 27, through which the shafts or rods'25 extend, as clearly 4disclosed in the accompanying drawings. The pistons upon either end and the outer faces thereof are provided with recesses 28, as shown in the drawings. In these recesses packingblocks or strips 29 are, inovably mounted, and between the said blocks and the bottom or-the rear ofthe recesses, springs 30 are interposed,'so as to continually hold the packing blocks or strips outwardly pressed, thereby causing them to continually engines cylinder or casing, during vthe entire movement of the piston carrying head.

its

-contact with the inner circumference `of the Tlie'steam intakes or iiiletsof the engines cylinder are so directed or disposed as to allow the inflow of the steam to strike fully and squarelyu on the pistons, 'as the .are being radially orced outward. The pistons are assisted in their radial or outward movements by 'means of the inner contour of the inner circumference of the engineseasing, said contour comprisesthe enlargements 31. which gradually increase from above and lbelow into an apex 32, which is longitudig nally recessed, as at 33, to receive the packing 34, as shown clearly in the' drawings. By shaping the inner circumference of the cylinder in this manner and by directing the steam inlets or intakes in the manner as shown inthe drawings, all back pressure of team is obviated, as will be clearly maniest.

The cylinder is provided with the usual exhaust arts 3 5 and 36, the exhaust ports 35, as s own in the drawings, areopen, thus allowing the steam to act directly upon the pistons',Y so as to cause the piston carryingA head to rotate in the direction of the arrow 37, as is disclosed in the drawings. When the action of the steamis reversed, the exhaust ports 35 are closed, by the manipulation of the levers 35, show nclearly in Fig. 1 of the drawin and the ports 36 are opened by means o the levers 3 6, also clearly shown in Fig. 1. By throwin the.

levers 35 and 36a upward or downwar the exhaust ports may be closed or opened.

' To reverse the engine in a direction opposite to that as indicated by the arrow 37, the valve 11 should be reversed, thereby allow- 4ing the steam to act upon the opposite faces of the pistons. When reversin the valve 11, the exhaust ports 35 shoul be closed, and the ports 36 open.

The peripheries of the head' portions or pieces 20 are recessed annularly, as shown at 38, in which recesses suitable packin 39 is disposed,thereby preventing any an all leakage of steam,l which is genera ly found in other engines. The intermeshng or intei-engaging 'cone governor 12 comprises the lcone members. 40 and 41, the cone 40 being journaled upon a pin '42 carried by the arm 43, as shown in the drawings. This arm 43 is designed to' move the valveA rod of the valve 1.1 that is to say, when the same is raised, thereby governing the speed of the engine. In case, the speed of the engine is greatly increased, the governor will be automatically operated through the medium of the centrifugal force of the balls 44 thereof, thereby automatically cutting oil the iniow of the steam. The cone 41 is `mounted slidably ,upon the engines driving shaft, but is metal.

remainder of the periphery of the cone 4l,

the steam is decreased, thereby increasing the steam expansion, as will be clearly evident from the above description in connection with the annexed drawings.

The body portion of the piston carrying head is cut away, so as to lighten the same and also to obviate the use of too-much The cam rooves of the heads of the en gines cylin er are disposed concentric with one another, so as to cause the pistons to VIncve in an exact parallel plane with the inner circumference of the cylinder, as will beclearly evident 1n examining the transverse sectional view of the invention of Fi 2. ghe steam may be received from any suitable source of supply, not shown, there bein 'no particular invention in this feature.l he packings 34 consist of three members or parts 34* and 34", the arts 34b arc provided with beveled ortions 34, against which the beveled en s 34? engage, so as to cause the end parts 34" to continually engage thehead portions or pieces 20, as 'the piston-carrying head rotates. To hold the several parts of the acking 34 in the positions as shown in' ig. 10, springs 34e are provided, which are mounted in the recesses 33, in the manner shown clearly in Fig. 10.

From the fore oing, the essential features, elements an the operation of the device, together with the simplicity thereof, will be clearly ap arent.

Havin thus fu y described the invention,

ing havin uponits inner circumference at either en thereof concentric grooves having opposite portions curved toward the center of said head, steam inlets and exhaust ports, a valve lto 4control said inlets, said shafts having a member with its periphery Aat opposite locations conforming to the curves of said grooves, and means carried by said valves to coperate with said member wherebythe inlets are automatically controlled.

2.'.'A `rotaryenpdne having-.a casing and provided with a rotatable piston carrying ead, a shaft driven by said head, said casing yhavin `upon its inner oircnmrerence at member whe-reby the inlets are automatioeither en thereof concentric grooves havally controlled.

ing opposite portions curved toward the cen- In testimony whereof I have signed my l ter of said head, 'steam inlets and exhaust name to this specification in the 'presence of ,5 ports, a valve to control said inlets, said two subscribing witnesses.

sh'fift having n zum member with its periph i JOHN F MILTON 4 ery et opposite locations conforming tothe i curves of said grooves, and a lever carried Witnesses: v by sald valve and provided with a cone- W. M. HOFFMAN, 10 member to copei'ate with 'the first-named V GEORGE ASHFORD. 

